5G is the future of mobile technology, however, it seems that talks about it have been largely steeped in buzzwords and empty promises.
Mobile carriers pinpoint some vague map but remain evasive when it comes to the "getting there" part. Samsung, however, might finally turn all this 5G hype into something more tangible than mere speculation.
Apparently, the South Korean electronics company is teaming up with Verizon to release a smartphone capable of 5G during the first half of 2019. If true, this stands to be one of the first 5G-certified phones not just in the United States, but in the entire planet.
The two companies have recently confirmed that the device will be able to tap into next-generation cellular technology. However, they failed to give anything concrete about this said device, including its specs, form factor, and other features. It is not even certain what it is going to be called, and more importantly, how much it is going to cost.
Samsung And Verizon Coming Out With 5G Phone
Fans won't have to wait for long to get a glimpse of this device, though. Samsung and Verizon plan to show it off — or a concept device, at least, during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit, happening on Dec. 4 to 6 in Hawaii. The phone is said to come equipped with a mobile processor from Qualcomm that has not been officially unveiled yet, in addition to the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem and Qualcomm antenna modules.
"This is the result of years of collaboration to deploy an end-to-end solution for commercial 5G services using Samsung network equipment and personal devices," Verizon says in an announcement.
"5G will usher in a new era of mobile connectivity, allowing people to connect to data, experiences and other people in ways never thought possible," says Brian Higgins, VP, wireless device and product marketing at The Big Red. "Together, Samsung and Verizon have made huge gains in bringing 5G commercial services to consumers in several cities. Now, we're partnering to create a smartphone to put the power of 5G in the palm of your hand."
What About 5G?
Samsung and Verizon's forthcoming phone is probably the most promising prospect involving 5G thus far — perhaps because it is the only one with an actual release schedule attached, in place of overzealous executives going on and on about the merits of 5G but failing to provide more specific roadmaps on how they plan on fully integrating the technology into their network.
5G is expected to introduce a significant boost in speed, coverage, and responsiveness of current wireless networks, as The Verge notes. It is poised to be up to 100 times faster than 4G LTE in terms of download speeds.
